Molding apparatus



2 SheetsfSheet l June 13, 1961 R. D. BEATTY, JR`

MOLDING APPARATUS Filed June 26. 1959 I|||||||r|mlllllllllllll Nw E Nt Q JNVENToR. oferE/Jrrx JP.

I Afm/@NE ys June 13, 1961 R. D. BEATTY, JR 2,987,772

MOLDING APPARATUS Filed June 26, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENToR. Poseer 55A rr); J5?,

Arm/@NE ys "Inl United States Patent O 2,987,772 MOLDING APPARATUS Robert D. Beatty, Jr., 2974 Morley Road, Shaker Heights 22, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Richard B. Oviatt, Cleveland, Ohio Filed June 26, 1959, Ser. No. 823,210 8 Claims. (Cl. 18-42) This invention relates to molding apparatus and, more particularly, to a mold having novel venting means for ridding the mold cavity of air, gas, vapor or the like whose presence would otherwise cause irregularities in, or blemishes on, the article or casting being molded.

An object of this invention is to provide novel mold venting means of a simple and practical form having no moving parts, and which is adapted to be readily embodied in a mold structure and to operate in a highly effective and satisfactory manner with minimum likelihood of becoming clogged and without being subject to wear or deterioration.

Another object is to provide novel mold cavity venting means having a vent passage whose wall is formed, at least in part, by heat-absorbing means eiective to cause congealing in such vent passage of whatever portion of the molding material attempts to escape therethrough.

A further object is to provide novel mold venting means comprising a vent passage formed by a portion of a recess or slot of a mold member and overlying a heatabsorbing means partially filling such recess or slot, the vent passage preferably being a shallow-depth passage and the recess or slot being coverable and uncoverable by an associated mold member for completing the vent passage and for releasing congealed molding material therefrom.

Still another object is to provide novel mold venting means in which a heat-absorbing means associated with a shallow-depth vent passage, preferably a thin flat vent passage, comprises a unit or block having a high coefiieient of heat conductivity as by being made of metal having such a high coeicient.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent in the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which,

FIG. l is a partial side elevation, with portions in section, showing molding apparatus embodying the venting means of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, in perspective, of the mold members of the apparatus and showing the mold in an open condition; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding with a portion of FIG. 1 but showing the mold in its closed condition and with the mold cavity empty.

The accompanying drawings show the venting means of this invention embodied in a mold 11 for ridding the mold cavity 12 of air, gas, vapor and the like, and which mold is shown by way of example as being a part of a molding machine 13 of the pressure injection type. The machine 13 has stationary and movable platens 14 and 15, of which the movable platen is actuatable by suitable power means such as a double-acting hydraulic cylinder device here represented only by an adjustable threaded thrust member 16 with which the movable platen is connected by an attaching plate or tlange 17.

The mold 11 comprises co-operating stationary and movable mold members 21 and 22, of which the stationary mold member is suitably mounted on the stationary platen 14 as by attaching clamps 23. The movable mold member 22 is mounted on the movable platen 15 by means of interposed spaced-apart bracket members 24 which are attached to the movable platen by suitable Viice clamps 25. The mold members 21 and 22 are made of a suitable material such as cast iron.

The bracket members 24 hold the rear surface 26 of the movable mold member 22 in a spaced relation to the platen 15 and provide therebetween a chamber or space 27 in which an ejector member 28 is located for movement relative to the mold member 22. The ejector member 2S comprises connected plates 28a and 28b and is supported and guided by suitable guide bolts 29 mounted in the movable mold member 22 and projecting rearwardly therefrom into the chamber 27.

The mold cavity 12 can be of any size or shape, depending upon the article or casting to be produced, and is here shown as being formed by co-operating mold chambers 12l and 12b provided in the mold members 21 and 22, respectively, and extending thereinto from the adjacent parting surfaces 21% and 22a of these members. Although the mold cavity 12 is here shown as being a single cavity for the production of one casting or article during each molding operation, the cavity can, if desired, consist of a group of suitably disposed and connected cavities when a group of articles is to be produced by a y single molding operation.

Molding material is supplied to the cavity 12 in a uid form and usually in a heated condition and under pressure. For this purpose, the machine 13 is provided with an injection cylinder 31 having an injection plunger 32 reciprocably movable therein and actuatable by a suitable auxiliary power device such as a hydraulic cylinder or the like (not shown) to which the injection plunger iS connected by means of an actuating rod 33. Molding material is supplied to the injection cylinder 31 through an inlet opening or port 34 when the injection plunger 32 is in a retracted position in the cylinder.

The inner end of the injection cylinder 31 is connected with the mold cavity 12 by a runner passage 35 which is here shown as being formed in the mold member 22. When the mold 11 is in its closed condition by reason of the movement of the mold member 22 into engagement with the mold member 21, the panting surfaces 21' and 221L of the mold members are in engagement with each other and lie in a common parting plane represented by the parting surface 2184 of the stationary mold member 21. At this time the mold recesses 12a and 12b are in a connected or communicating relation to form the mold cavity 12 and the runner passage 35 is then covered or jompleted by the overlying portion of the mold mem- The venting means 10 comprises a heat-absorbing means or cooling unit 37 embodied in one of the mold members as a congealing means, in this case in the movable mold member 22, and includes vent passage means 38 leading from the mold cavity 12 to atmosphere and having at least a portion of the wall thereof formed by the cooling unit. The vent passage means 38 is so disposed that the portion 33a thereof, whose wall is formed in part by the congealing unit 37, is a shallow-depth passage as further described hereinafter and with respect to which the cooling unit will have an eiective or maximum congealing or solidifying elect on molding material attempting to escape from the mold cavity 12 through the vent passage means.

As shown in the drawings, the vent passage means 38 includes a passage portion or gate passage 38b formed in the parting surface 22a of the mold member 28 and connecting the mold cavity 12 with the shallow-depth passage portion 38a. When the mold 11 is provided with a plurality of the mold cavities 12, one or more other cavities can be provided with similar passage portions 38h connecting the same with the passage portion 38"'.

The congealing unit 37 can be incorporated in the mold 11 in various ways and, in this case, is embodied in the mold member 22 by providing the latter with va recess or slot 39 extending thereinto from the parting surfaces 22a and in which the congealing unit is disposed. The congealing unit 37 comprisesV a body or` member having `a high coeiiicient of heat conductivity so as 'to readily absorb heat from, and cause a rapid congealing of, any of the molding material which attempts to escape from the mold cavity 12 through the vent passage means 38. In this case, the congealing means 37 is in the form of yau elongated block 41 of a quadrangular cross-sectional Vshape suitably retained in the recess 39 `and partially lling such recess. The Yblock 4l can be of any material having the high coeicient of heat conductivity mentioned above and, for example, may be a metal selected from a group of metals having such a high coeficient of thermal conductivity, namely the group comprising copper, aluminum, magnesium and silver.

Because vof the ready availability of copper and the high thermal conductivity thereof, this metal is preferable for `the block 41 although Aany other metal of the abovementioned group could be used or an alloy of these metals could be used. The cooling eiect or heat-absorbing capacity ofthe block 4l can be increased by providing the block with `a heat removal means, in this case, with `a passage 42 for a iiow of water or other cooling medium therethrough.

The block 4-1 is of a thickness in relation to the depth of the recess 39 such that the unfilled portion of the recess lies on the side of the block facing the other mold member, in this case the stationary mold member 21, and this unfilled portion of the recess forms the vent passage por- 'tion 38a. The recess 39 is formed in the mold member 22 so that it extendsV transversely across this mold member and opens through at least `one of the side edges of the mold member for communication at this point with the atmosphere. yIn this case, the recess 39 extends entirely across the mold member 22 at la point adjacent to, and above, the mold recess 12b as shown in FIG. 2 so that the vent passageportion 3Sa will be in open communication with the atmosphere through its end openings 45 and =46.

When the mold 11 is in its closed condition, the inner end of the injection cylinder 31 will be connected with the runner passage 35 for delivery of the molding material intothe mold cavity 12 under pressure and a portion of the parting surface 21a of the stationary mold member 21 will overlie the passage portions 38a and 38b to cover or complete the vent passage. As the molding material is injected into the mold cavity 112 the air, gas, vapor and Ithe like present in the mold cavity or generated therein, will escape through the vent passage means 38 to the atmosphere so that the `article or casting being formed will not be marred or rendered irregular by the presence of such air, gas, vapor or the like in the mold cavity. Some of the molding material will attempt to escape from the mold cavity 12 through the gate passage 3:8b and the vent passage portion 38a but, in so doing, the material entering the latter will come into contact with the surface of the congealing unit 37 and will be effectively congealed or solidied in the passage portion 38a before any of such material can escape to the atmosphere through the end openings 45 and 46.

With the construction described above for the venting means 10, it will be seen that the vent passage portion 38a will have a shallow depth as one transverse dimension thereof and will be .relatively wide in its other transverse dimension, so as to have the shape of a thin and flat slotlike passage overlying and extending along the exposed face ofthe congealing unit 37. Accordingly, the molding material attempting to escape through the passage portion 38a will assume the shape of a Ithin flat stream with a large area of contact with the congealing unit. This will result in a rapid and eiicient transfer of heat from the escaping molding material to the congealing unit 37 with the result that the molding material will be quickly assente f Y V K solided in the vent passage before any of such, material. can escape from the end openings 4S and 46. The molding material solidified in the passage portion 3Sa will be in the form of a thin-web strip-like member 49 cast integral with the molded member or article 50 and connected with. the latter'by a gate portion 51 corresponding in shape with the gate passage 38h.

When the mold 11 is opened, the :article 50 is ejected from the mold cavity 12 by suitableY ejector Ypins 52 projecting from the ejector member 28 and extending through the mold member 22 for movement into the mold cavity. The integral strip portion 49 will usually be withdrawn from the vent passage portion 38'c1 by the ejection of the article 50 from the mold cavity Y12 without need for engagement by ejector pins. If desired, however, the venting means lil can also be provided with ejector pins 53 whichare actuatedV by the ejector member 28 and are movable through openings of the block 41 for ejecting engagement with the strip portion 49.

The ejector member 2S and the ejector pins 52 and 53 thereof are movable in the ejecting direction, that is, toward the right as seen in FIG. 1 by a suitable auxiliary power device such as by the piston rod 55 of a piston 56 operable in `a double-acting ejector cylinder 57. The piston rod 55 projects into the chamber 27 and is here shown `as having a thrust block or head 58 thereon for engagement with the rear side'of the ejectormember 28.

. The ejector pins 52 vand 53 are connected with the ejector member 28, -as by having heads received between the connected plate members 28a `and 28b of the'latter.

The ejector pins 52 `and 53 are retractable into the movable mold member 22 during the closing ofthe mold 11 and, for this purpose, Vthe movable mold member is provided with the usual ejector retracting pins 60 which are engageable with the stationary mold member 21. The retracting pins 60 are slidable in the movable mold member 22 and push the ejector member 28 4away from the rear face 26 of the movable mold member during the closing movement of the latter.

The cooling medium used in the passage 42 of the block 4l is circulated therethrough by fluid supply and discharge pipes 61 and 62 of a iiexible character which are connected with this passage at one end of the block. At the opposite end of the block y41, la return bend or fitting 63 is mounted therein for connecting .the parallel portions of the passage `42. `If desired fthe mold members 21 and 22 can yalso be provided with suitable passages 64 and 65 for a iiow of cooling medium therethrough and which passages yare here shown as being located adjacent the mold recesses l2a and 12b.

From the accompanying drawings and the foregoing detailed description it will now be readily understood that this invention provides novel venting means `for a mold cavity for ridding such cavity of air, gas, vapor, and the like, whose presence would have damaging effects on the casting or article being molded. It will now also be understood that the venting means of this invention is of a very simple and practical form requiring no moving parts such as would be subject to wear or sticking during the operation of the molding machine. Moreover, the venting means of this invention provides a vent passage of a shallow-depth, preferably of a thin slot-like form, which will not be subject -to clogging by carbon or other foreign matter and whose location, relative to a heatabsorbing or congealing means of high thermal conductivity, is such that any molding material attempting lto escape from the mold cavity will be effectively congealed or solidified in the vent passage before any of such material can reach the atmosphere. Additionally, it will be seen that the passage of this novel venting means will always be cleared automatically by the ejection of the article from the mold cavity at the completion of each molding operation.

Although the mold venting means of this invention has been illustrated and described herein to aA somewhat detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and moditications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In molding apparatus; a mold structure containing a mold cavity for receiving iiuid molding material in a heated condition; said structure having a recess therein and a vent passage leading from said cavity and formed at least in part by a portion of said recess; and a preformed congealing unit located in said recess and having an exposed surface portion therein and extending along the vent passage for contact by, and congealing elect'on, such portion of said molding material -as enters said vent passage by escaping thereinto from said mold cavity; said vent passage being relatively shallow in one transverse dimension thereo Iand relatively wide in its `other transverse dimension, so `as to cause the escaping material to assume the shape of a thin wide strip having a large effective area of cooling contact with said exposed surface portion; said unit having passage means for a ilow of cooling medium in heat-removal contact therewith.

2. A mold comprising co-operating relatively movable mold members deiining therebetween a parting surface and containing a mold cavity openable at said parting surface; said mold having a supply passage communicating with said cavity for supplying to the latter -a fluid molding material in a heated condition and under pressure; one of said mold members having an elongated recess extending along, and opening through, the parting surface thereof and connected with said cavity; and elongated heat-absorbing congealing means extending longitudinally Within and partially lling said recess transversely thereof; said recess being coverable by another of said mold members when the mold is in its closed condition so that the portion of the recess lying between said congealing means and said other mold member forms a shallow-depth vent passage leading to atmosphere for causing the material escaping into the vent passage from the mold cavity to assume -the shape of ta shallow stream in contact with the cougealing means; said congealing means containing a passage for a flow of cooling medium therethrough `so as to have a heat-absorbing capacity to congeal said stream into a thin-Web strip.

3. A mold as defined in claim 2 wherein said congealing means comprises metal having a high coefficient of thermal conductivity and selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, magnesium and silver.

4. A mold as dened in claim 2 wherein said congealing means comprises a metal block of strip form having the last-mentioned passage extending longitudinally therein; said block being of metal having 'a high coefcient of thermal conductivity and selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, magnesium and silver.

5. A mold as defined in claim 2 wherein said congealing means comprises -a metal block having a at surface exposed in said recess and forming the bottom wall of a vent passage of a thin flat slot-like shape.

6. A mold as defined in claim 2 which also comprises movable ejector means having pin means engageable with a molded article located in said cavity land other pin means engageable with the molding material eongealed in said vent passage; said congealing means having opening means therein in which said other pin means is movable.

7, A mold as defined in claim 2 wherein said recess comprises la slot which extends across the parting surface of said one mold member to at least one side edge of said one mold member; said congealing means being substantially coextensive in legth with said slot.

8. A mold las defined in claim 2 wherein said recess is a straight slot extending entirely across the parting surface of said one mold member and having its ends open to atmosphere -at opposite side edges of said one mold member; said congealing means being substantially coextensive in length with said slot.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,443 Wilson Ian. 18, 1944 2,356,585 Hempel Aug. 22, 1944 2,470,089 Booth May 17, 1949 2,510,716 Portman June 6, 1950 2,875,472 Marcus Mar. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,030,256 France June 11, 1953 

